The Fitzroy blues? Carlton match woeful win record

Carlton sit on the bottom of the ladder and with just a single win this season, fans are restless and fingers are being pointed.

An unwelcome comparison for the struggling Blues emerged this week.

The Blues leave the field after their most recent loss, to St Kilda.Credit:AAP

Across the last six and a half seasons, Carlton have posted just 38 wins - the same amount that Fitzroy tallied in their final seven seasons before being pushed into a merger.

Admittedly Carlton have time enough in the second half of this season to win more games and surpass the 38-game mark.

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But Carlton are in danger of overtaking Fitzroy in another area: wooden spoons. The Blues are currently tied with Fitzroy on two wooden spoons over that period but presently ten rounds into the season they sit on the bottom of the ladder two games behind second bottom and facing a third spoon.

"Time to merge them with Gold Coast," one Reddit user posted. Another suggested the name Blue Suns for the hypothetical team.

Footscray supporters protesting over the proposed merger with Fitzroy in 1989.Credit:Neil Newitt

The merger was abandoned in 1990 and to add salt to the wound, Fitzroy lost their sponsors in the aftermath of the divorce.

Over the next six years, Fitzroy experimented by playing in Tasmania, then Canberra. Fitzroy staff and players allege the AFL provided no financial assistance and ultimately in 1996, an insurance company called it in. In late 1996, Fitzroy merged with the Brisbane Bears

Longtime Fitzroy fan and former sport journalist Paul Gough puts the demise of Fitzroy down to scheduling, a lack of AFL support, and no access to priority draft picks. He said the fact Carlton's recent performance mirrors that of Fitroy's is an "absolute indictment" on Carlton, a club that "has everything, money, power, players".

The Blues are in a starkly different financial position, despite the similar win records. Six months ago, the club declared a net operating profit of $2,611,638 before depreciation and amortisation.

Fitzroy leave the field after their last game in Melbourne.Credit:Jason South

This was an improved financial result for the fourth consecutive year. It's also the second year in a row the club has generated a net profit.

The clubs have a starkly different set of problems, but freakishly similar results. But one Reddit user fails to find humour in the comparison.

"It’s not funny. It’s not good. It’s a football club on its knees and nobody wants that for any club."

UPDATE: A previous of this story had Fitzroy winning three wooden spoons in their last seven years of competition. In fact, the 1991 wooden spoon went to the Brisbane Bears.